Folding lawn chair with tray-supporting arms

ABSTRACT

A folding chair having a frame constructed to allow a generally planar seat part and a generally planar back part to fold from a working position in which they are generally at right angles to each other to a stored position in which the seat part and the back part are generally parallel, the folding chair having arms, and arm extensions attached to the chair arms, the chair extensions being constructed to support a tray between them at a tray position at least substantially forward of the chair arms, the arm extensions being moveable to a position at which they do not extend substantially beyond the chair arms.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application 62/409,488, filed Oct. 18, 2016 and U.S.Provisional Application 62/275473, filed Jan. 6, 2016. The disclosuresof both these applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to folding chairs, and in particular to foldingchairs that include a folding, light-weight tubular frame defining legs,a back rest area, a seat area, and arms. A seat, a back, and arm restsare attached to the tubular frame. The seat and back are frequently websmade of woven strips of material such as flexible plastic or wovenfabric. Seats and backs may also be formed as slats or mesh rectangles.Such chairs are known commonly as lawn chairs or picnic chairs. It willbe understood that in addition to traditional lawn chairs, similarchairs having extended seats are sometimes known as lounge chairs, andsimilar chairs having shorter legs are sometimes known as beach chairs.As used herein, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, the term “lawnchair” is used to describe all such chairs. Lawn chairs are convenientto fold and carry about, and are reasonably comfortable for an occupantto sit in. When the occupant wishes to carry out an activity such aseating from a plate, drinking from a glass, writing, or working on aportable computer or electronic tablet, however, the chair is of littleor no help.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, generally stated, a foldinglawn chair is provided having extendible arms, formed to hold a tray,table, or desk between the extensions of the arms. The arm extensions ofthe invention hold the tray, table, or desk in position for easy use,while allowing the occupant easy access to the chair without assistancefrom anyone else.

In an embodiment, the arm extensions are slidably mounted with respectto the arms. In an illustrative embodiment, the arm extensions areslidable in housings attached along the arms, preferably outboard of thearms. In this embodiment, the arm extensions may include a lockconstructed to hold the arm extensions releasably in an extendedposition. In this embodiment, the arm extensions include upwardprotrusions at their forward ends proportioned to limit movement of atray off the forward end. The protrusions may be in the form of knobswhich allow the arm extensions to be pulled out easily.

In other embodiments, the arm extensions are hinged at the front of thechair's arms and fold out to an extended position.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of theinvention as well as presently preferred embodiments thereof will becomemore apparent from the reading of the following description inconnection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of a folding lawn chairin accordance with the invention, the lawn chair having telescopicallymounted arm extensions mounted in slides attached to the outboard sidesof the chair's arms, and further including telescopically mountedextension arms for a side tray and a back pack sized to hold front andside trays when they are not in use.

FIG. 2 is a view in side perspective of the chair of FIG. 1 in a foldedposition.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the chair of FIGS. 1 and 2 in anunfolded position, with the arm extensions extended.

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the chair of FIGS. 1-3 with a trayplaced on the arm extensions.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the chair of FIGS. 1-4 showingtelescoping side tray supports in an extended position.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of the chair of FIGS. 1-6 showing a sidetray placed on the telescoping side tray supports and a main tray on thetelescoping arm extensions.

FIG. 7 is a view in rear perspective of the chair of FIGS. 1-7 showingthe back pack mounted on the back of the chair, a tray on the armextensions, the side tray extensions pulled out for placement of a sidetray, and the side tray stowed in the back pack.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective of another embodiment of achair having an arm and an arm extension in accordance with theinvention, with the arm extension being hinged to the arm of the chair.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view in perspective corresponding to FIG. 8,showing the arm extension folded out to receive a tray.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way ofexample and not by way of limitation. The description clearly enablesone skilled in the art to make and use the invention, describes severalembodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of theinvention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode ofcarrying out the invention.

A first embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1-6, attached to a lawn chair 30.The lawn chair 30 is illustratively of a common design having a frameconstructed to allow a generally planar seat part and a generally planarback part to fold from a working position in which they are generally atright angles to each other to a stored position in which the seat partand the back part are generally parallel. In the illustrativeembodiment, the frame is made of aluminum tubing, although frames ofsteel tubing and wood, for example, are also well-known. Numerousconstructions of such chairs are known.

In this embodiment, the folding chair 30 has a frame formed of aU-shaped forward leg tube 33, a U-shaped rear leg tube 39, a U-shapedseat tube 45, and a U-shaped back tube 47. The free ends of the legtubes 33 and 39 are hinged to elongate plastic brackets 37, andintermediate portions of the back tube 47 are hinged to the back ends ofthe brackets 37. The seat tube 45 and back tube 47 are rotatablyattached to the rear leg tube 39 by sheet metal brackets 49. A rod 51extending through brackets 49 has spools 57 at its ends, which act asstops when the seat and back are fully opened. The rod 51 provides astretcher for strips 53 of flexible plastic webbing forming the seat andback of the chair 30. This construction allows the chair to be foldedfrom an operative position shown in FIG. 1 to a folded storage positionshown in FIG. 2. This is one standard form of folding lawn chair.

Wooden arms 29 are attached by screws to the tops of brackets 37.Rectangular sheet metal tubes 11, similar in cross-section to a standardcurtain rod, are secured to the outboard faces of the arms 29. As shownin FIG. 3, an inner wall of the tube 11 may be extended and bent overthe forward end of the wooden arms 29 as shown at 61 then secured withscrews. As shown in FIG. 7, an outer wall of the tube 11 may be extendedand bent over the rearward end of the wooden arms 29 as shown at 62 thensecured with screws.

A rectangular extension arm 19 is slidably mounted in each tube 11.Preferably, each extension arm includes a spring-loaded stud 13extending through an opening 14 in the arm 19 and sized to engage anopening in the tube 11, designed to hold the arm 19 in its extendedposition. Such spring-loaded stops are widely known and used forpositioning telescoping tubes, as show, for example, in Kazmark, Sr.,U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,476 and in Huang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,811.Alternatively, a simple stop may be provided to prevent the extensionarm from pulling completely free, such as is shown in Goeke, U.S. Pat.No. 3,981,404.

Each extension arm 19 may have an outer wall extended and bent inward asshown at 63 to accommodate a knob 27, held by a screw, as shown in FIG.3.

When extended, the extension arms 19 provide support for a main tray 15.The tray 15 includes a transverse rib 21 depending from its lower face,as shown in FIG. 7. The rib 21 stiffens the tray and prevents the trayfrom slipping transversely across the extension arms 19. The knobs 27prevent the tray 15 from sliding forward off the extension arms 19. Asshown particularly in FIGS. 3-6, this embodiment allows a user, withoutassistance, to convert the chair from a normal position in which the armextensions are closed to a position in which the extended arms cansupport a tray situated to allow the user to eat or work in comfort. Italso allows the user, carrying the tray 15, to sit down and place thetray without assistance.

As an additional feature, transverse tubes 71 and 73 are mounted to theupturned free ends of front leg 33 and rear leg 39, respectively. Thetubes 71 and 73 hold telescopically mounted side extension arms 75 and77, respectively, each provided with a knob 79 at its free proximal end.The transverse tubes 71 and 73 are illustratively round, and the sideextension arms 75 and 77 are rods. The extension arms preferably havestops or plungers at their distal ends to prevent them from falling outof the tubes 71 and 73 and to retard their sliding out of the tubes.Such stops can be the same as those described in the previouslymentioned Kazmark, Sr., Huang, and Goeke patents. When extended as shownin FIGS. 5 and 6, the side extension arms provide horizontal supportsfor a side tray 81 as shown in FIG. 6. The tubes 71 and 73 also stiffenand stabilize the front and back legs 33 and 39.

It will be seen that the side arms 75 and 77 may be pulled out before orafter the user is seated in the chair 30, and that the side tray may beeasily reached while the user is seated, with or without extending theextension arms 19. When the side tray is not in use, the side arms 75and 77 may be pushed out of the way, back into the tubes 71 and 73.

The chair 30 also includes a back pack 60 which acts as a receptacle forthe trays 15 and 81 when they are not in use. The back pack 60 has apocket 90 across its upper edge for receiving a mounting rod 91. Themounting rod is mounted between openings 93 at the upper end of the backtube 47. A closure strap 95 is preferably provided.

A second embodiment is shown in FIGS. 7-8. In this embodiment, a foldingchair 130, which may be the same general type shown in FIGS. 1-6, hasarm extensions 113 which are hinged at the fronts of the chair's arms129. The arm extension 113 may be part of an extension assembly 111including a supplemental arm 112 and the arm extension 113.

The supplemental arm 112 is illustratively a block of wood having alength and width similar to those of the chair's arm 129. Thesupplemental arm 112 may be held to the structural arm 129 of the chair130 by Velcro straps, or by bolts run through holes bored through thearms 129 and supplemental arms 112 and secured by nuts, or by screwsextending through the arms 129 and into the wooden arms 112. Across-bore is provided at the forward end of the supplemental arm 112.Preferably, the supplemental arm 112 extends a short distance ahead ofthe structural arm 129, for reasons which will become apparent.

The arm extension 113 is channel-shaped, having sides 116 and a web 118.Holes in the sides 116 align with the cross bore of the supplemental arm112, permitting bolts 120 to pass through the holes and cross bore; thebolt 120 acts as a hinge pin. A tongue 124 on the end of the armextension 113 engages the lower face of the supplemental arm 112 whenthe arm extension 113 is opened and gives it support. It will beappreciated that other supports may be provided, such as a slide-outsupport mounted to the bottom of the supplemental arm 112. A protrusion126 on the outside of the outer arm extension side 116 provides ahand-hold for flipping the arm extension from a closed to open position.It also acts as a stop for engaging a forward foot on the tray andpreventing the tray from sliding forward off the arm extension 113.

It will be seen that this embodiment also allows a user, withoutassistance, to convert the chair from a normal position in which the armextensions are closed to a position in which the extended arms cansupport a tray situated to allow the user to eat or work in comfort.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

For example, in embodiments, the arm extensions may be slidably mountedin the structural arm tubes of the chair. In other embodiments, the armextensions are detachably attached to the chair arms, as byhook-and-loop straps or by snapping onto the chair arms, either with orwithout folding or sliding relative to the chair arms.

The frame of the chair may take many forms, including those presentlyknown in the art, such as those shown in FIGS. 13A-L and those developedhereafter. The chair may, less preferably, be a lounge chair having anextended seat supporting the user's legs or a beach chair having shorterlegs. The chair may have wooden or plastic slats defining the backsupport or seat surface, or both. The tubular frame is preferably madeof round aluminum tubing, but may be of other materials and othercross-sectional shapes such as rectangular.

The arm extensions may be made of other materials, such as wood orplastic. The tray or the arm extension or both may have interconnectionsto keep the tray from sliding forward, left, or right; many suchinterconnections are known or will be immediately envisioned, likegrooves in the bottom of the tray or protrusions on the arm extensions.The chair may, in some embodiments, may have arms but not be a foldingchair.

These variations are merely illustrative.

1. In combination, a folding chair having a frame constructed to allow agenerally planar seat part and a generally planar back part to fold froma working position in which they are generally at right angles to eachother to a stored position in which the seat part and the back part aregenerally parallel, the folding chair having arms, and arm extensionsattached to the chair arms, the chair extensions being constructed tosupport a tray between them at a tray position at least substantiallyforward of the chair arms, the arm extensions being moveable to aposition at which they do not extend substantially beyond the chairarms.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the arm extensions aretelescoped into housings which are attached to the chair arms or are thechair arms.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the arm extensions areconstructed and arranged to allow a user to extend the arms, place atray on them, sit, and access an item on the tray without external aid.4. In combination, a chair having arms and arm extensions attached tothe chair arms, the chair extensions being constructed to support a traybetween them at a tray position at least substantially forward of thechair arms, the arm extensions being moveable to a position at whichthey do not extend substantially beyond the chair arms, the armextensions being either: telescoped into housings which are attached tothe chair arms or are the chair arms, or hinged to a forward end of thechair arm or to a supplemental arm attached to the chair arm.
 5. Thecombination of claim 4 comprising supplemental arms held to the chairarms by quick connect connectors, the supplemental arms being removableand attachable by a user by hand without the use of tools, the armextensions being held by the supplemental arms for movement toward andaway from the supplemental arms.
 6. The combination of claim 4 whereinthe arm extensions are telescoped into a housing.
 7. The combination ofclaim 6 wherein the housing is attached to the chair arms.
 8. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein the arm extensions are hinged to theforward ends of the arms or supplemental arms.
 9. The combination ofclaim 8 wherein the arm extensions are U-shaped in cross section, thearm extensions having sides connected by a web, the sides embracing thearms or supplemental arms when the arm extensions are retracted.
 10. Thecombination of claim 9 further comprising a support for holding the armextension when the arm extension is extended.
 11. The combination ofclaim 10 wherein the support comprises a tongue on the arm extension,the tongue being configured to engage an underside of the chair arm orthe supplemental arm.
 12. The combination of claim 4 wherein the armextensions comprise a protrusion on an outboard side of each armextension, the protrusions being sized to engage a foot on the tray andprevent the tray from sliding forward on the arm extensions.
 13. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein the arm extensions are constructed andarranged to allow a user to extend the arms, place a tray on them, sit,and access an item on the tray without external aid.
 14. A foldablechair comprising a seat, a back, two arms, and legs, the chair furthercomprising arm extensions slidably mounted with respect to the arms, thearm extensions being slidably extendible to hold a tray between themforward of the arms.
 15. The foldable chair of claim 14 comprising armhousings attached to the chair generally parallel with the arms andoutboard of the arms, the arm housings telescopically supporting the armextensions.
 16. The foldable chair of claim 15 further comprisingsecondary housings attached between legs and extending generallyparallel to the back, each secondary housing telescopically holding asecondary arm extension, the secondary arm extensions being extendibleto a side of the chair to hold a side tray between them.
 17. Thefoldable chair of claim 16 further comprising a back pack attached to anupper end of the back and extending behind the back, the back pack beingsized to hold the tray and the side tray.
 18. The foldable chair ofclaim 15 further comprising a lock mechanism which locks the extendiblearm in a fixed position with respect to the arm housing when the armextensions in an extended position.
 19. The foldable chair of claim 14wherein each arm extension includes a tray-retaining protrusion at itsforward end, the protrusion extending above an upper surface of the arm.20. The foldable chair of claim 14 wherein the arms are immovable withrespect to the seat when the chair is in an unfolded use position andwherein upper surfaces of the arm extensions are generally coplanar withupper surfaces of the arms when the arm extensions are in an extendedposition forward of the seat.